Crossing Boundaries
by Waterlilies
Summary: AU. She thought he would stay with her, but left her unexpectedly on one night. And now eighteen years later, a startling revelation redefines her beliefs and viewpoint. How many times will they have to cross boundaries? 1xRxOC. 2xH
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing/AC.

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

"Aren't you going to spoil your dinner with that parfait?" He looked questioningly at her with one of his eyebrows arched up in disbelief.

"I don't really care, and besides you sound like my mother right about now." the little girl smiled at the delicious treat in front of her. She took a scoopful of the fluffy whipped cream and gulped it down in seconds. "Do you want to have some?"

"No thank you," he raised his hand in protest.

"I can leave some in that empty cup," she pointed innocently at him, hoping to change his mind.

"I'm on a diet," trying to make up a white lie.

She looked at him with a small smile, "But you haven't changed over these past three years!"

"I change over time," he let out a small smile. "You better hurry before they spot you with this."

"Daddy doesn't mind. He sometimes sneaks in a couple of treats without Mommy noticing anyway."

"Hn." He looked at the little girl as she devoured the sweet treat. "You better brush your teeth, young lady. I don't want to have the dentist get any more business than they already do."

"I do, don't worry," she smiled back at him. "Will you always be with me?"

He straightened in his seat, wondering how he was going to answer that tough question. "For now, yes."

"Good," she continued to wolf down her parfait.

In truth, it was the second white lie he had given her today. Sooner or later, he needed to leave her, but how would be break it to her. He had always been there on her good and bad days. They had a routine going on. He would wait for her after she came back from school and even helped her with some of her homework when a math question stumped her. She told him her greatest secrets and what she wanted to be when she grew up.

He continued to watch her as her eyes sparkled with delight. He felt a twinge in his chest, a feeling he didn't like and it was a sign that told him that he was running out of time with her.

"Relena Peacecraft, how on earth did you get that dessert?" Her mom walked over to her table and looked in disapproval. "You are going to spoil your dinner."

"No I'm not," she responded back, and with the lick of her spoon, she defied her mother. Savoring the last of her ice cream, and at that moment, she picked up the cherry that sat at the bottom of the cup.

"Well, I still hope you can finish your dinner later," she placed her hands down on her hips and saw the open seat opposite of her daughter.

She looked up in shock, "Don't sit there, you're going to squish him," she hollered.

Mrs. Peacecraft stood back up in surprise, "I'm sorry I forgot that he's here. " She looked over at the vacant seat, "Did I squish him?"

"No you didn't, he quickly got up." Relena let out a soft smile and looked over to Heero. "He gives you the all clear to sit back down if you want.

She rubbed the side of her head, hoping her young daughter would grow out of this phase soon. "I'm sorry, Heero, and thank you." She agreed to play into her daughter's antics for the time being. "Are you finished?"

"Uh-huh," she smiled again.

"Well then, let's get you ready for your big day then. Daddy should be back from his trip from Australia." She took her daughter's small hand into her own and led her out of the restaurant.

"Do you think he'll bring back a baby kangaroo?"

"You mean a Joey."

"Huh?" she looked at her with a funny look.

She squeezed her hand, "that's what they call baby kangaroos."

"Oh." She looked back at her mother and then looked over her shoulder. She saw Heero walking a few steps behind her. He nodded and she waved back.

…

Heero watched the crowd from the white staircase. Dignitaries with formal suits and dresses filtered to and from the main living room. Their voices filled with random words, and a couple of times well wishes floated up to where he stood.

"Daddy!" an all too familiar voice floated up the staircase.

"There's my little princess."

She jumped up to him with arms outstretched, and she was met with a giant bear hug. "How was your trip?" Her eyes twinkled with delight.

"It was good," he smiled back.

"Your mustache is tickling my face," she let out a small smile. The smell of cinnamon drifted up to her tiny nose.

He hugged her tightly, "Happy Birthday, my little princess." With a free hand, he procured a violet bag with white tissue paper.

She quickly went to the bottom of the bag, and out came a joey. "Thanks Daddy! "

"You're welcome, my princess."

After the last guest left, Relena made her way up to her room. Her lilac dress barely touched the ground and she quickly plopped on her bed. It was an exhausting day to say the least, but a productive one. Her butler had already brought up her latest additions to her stuffed animal collection. Her new stuffed kangaroo sat next her, as she stared up at the ceiling. Somehow, she managed to persuade both of her parents to stick glow in the dark stars all over the blank ceiling.

"There you are, Heero," she recognized the sound of his footsteps as he entered her room.

He looked over her expanding collection of toys, "You had a good night after all."

"You can say that again," her voice chimed in. "Where were you? I was looking for you everywhere."

"I was around," he shrugged. "More by the staircase," his voice was soft. "I don't do too well with old people."

"You're funny," she gave him a poke in his arm.

He looked at the small form, "Well Happy Birthday, Relena." He leaned over her and gave a kiss on top of her golden locks. "I have something for you."

Her blue eyes lighted up as she saw the almond teddy bear come into view. "You didn't have to, Heero."

He shrugged as she watched her snuggle her new teddy bear right by her kangaroo.

"Thank you, Heero." She threw her tiny arms around his big form.

"Hn."

Soon enough, he felt her tiny arms slide off his body and she had fallen asleep. He laid her down on her bed and watched over her for awhile. He didn't have the courage to tell her that this was his last night seeing her. Nevertheless, it was his last day entirely.

He hoped his gift would ease her pain and grief as soon as she would find out tomorrow morning that he was gone from her life. It was never easy leaving his kids that he watched for so long, but they never remembered according to his friends that were like him as they talked about their children. And so, he was hoping she wouldn't remember him either. It was the best for the two worlds.

He saw the rise and fall of her tiny chest, and hoped she was having a good dream at this time. His Prussian eyes looked over towards her chubby cheeked face and saw a smile form at the corner of her lips. And with that, he quickly left her room and disappeared into the early darkness with his hands in his pockets. His heart began to ache. A feeling that he never felt before, "Take care, kid."


	2. Chapter Two

It's been a while since I wrote an AU 1xR fic, but I'm tickled pink by the numbers I'm seeing, and thank you to all of you. Standard disclaimers apply. Well enjoy and please review!

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

Relena looked at the daunting stack of charts in front of her. It was going to be another busy day in the office. At this time of year, the transition from winter to spring was volatile, and viruses were her worst enemy.

She grabbed her fuchsia stethoscope and knocked on the first examination door. Six hours later and fifteen patients seen, her day was finished. It was a day filled with strep throats, viral infections, and one green pea stuck in a little kiddo's nose.

She went to her mini makeshift office and went through her charts. It was going to be another late night until she heard a soft knock on her door. "Come in," as she scribbled some notes.

"Hey stranger, looks like you survived another week."

She placed her pen behind her ear, "You can say that again." She turned towards his direction, "What about yourself?"

"About the same thing," the older doctor walked up to her desk. "Look I was thinking, do you want to have some dinner with me?"

She looked up at him, "Sorry Dave, it looks like I'll be stuck here for awhile," and bit the bottom of her lip and pointed to the ominous pile.

"Let me know when you're free," he smiled and the tall male with dusty brown hair sauntered out to his own office, looking slightly miffed at the moment.

"Phew," she let out a soft sigh. The young physician assistant looked out at her window and watched the sunset take place over the bay. The orange glow radiated off the waters and onto the buildings. She loved the feel of the city as it slowly transitioned to the night life. Her eyes reverted back to her charts and with that, she pulled out her dinner from her mini refrigerator.

…

The next time she saw Dave Schwarz was at a local coffee shop that she loved to hang out on weekends. The aromas of fresh coffee beans were invigorating to her senses, and her eyes trailed across the black ink as she dove deeper into her novel that she was reading.

Her slender fingers turned over a cream colored page, as a familiar face glanced over towards her.

"Fancy meeting you here."

"The same goes to you," she smiled back and put her book down on the black countertop.

"Look it sounds like I got off the wrong foot with you earlier last week," he looked sheepishly and let out a small laugh.

"It's alright, no harm done" as she took a sip of her café mocha, wondering what he wanted this time.

Dave looked around the small shop, taking in the sights and sounds. At one point, he fiddled with his hands until he brought up enough courage. "Look I don't like taking no for an answer. Have dinner with me."

The sentence hit her like a Mack truck, and she didn't know how to respond with that request. Normally, she tried to keep work and her life separate, and being new to the growing practice, she didn't want to jeopardize her spot. "I don't know Dave."

"Like I said I don't take no for an answer." He looked at her, hoping to win her over. "You got me spinning in circles. And…"

She fiddled with partial empty cup, "Say no more, I'm going to put you out of your misery."

"Finally," he let out a breath and started to relax in his seat. He began their conversation with some ice breakers. "I'm from Montana originally…Billings area."

She nodded in response, and soon enough, the two were immersed in their own conversation.

"So why did you pick here?" She continued to sip on her café mocha.

"I needed a change of pace temporarily," he leaned closer to her.

She tucked a loose strand of her honey colored hair behind her ear, "That's what everyone says."

The thirty year old laughed, "And why did the daughter of an American Ambassador choose a field so opposite from her father's?"

"I thought no one pays attention, but apparently you do," she leaned back on her seat. "I don't want to travel a lot." She grabbed her empty cup and started to play with it, "it's hard to make friends when you are constantly moving around." He nodded in response, telling her that he was listening. "I didn't want to become a doctor, since it took too long, but after volunteering at a local hospital, one of the nurses recommended PA school, and so here I am."

"Good choice then," he rubbed his chin.

"I guess so," and her eyes trailed over his round shoulders as she watched customers filter through the door. For a moment, her eyes connected with a familiar flash of Prussian. "It can't be," she thought to herself. The last time she saw Heero was on the night of her eighth birthday, and he had promised her that he would be there for her. And on that very next morning, she tore through the house trying to find him. She search through all their secret hiding places, and to no avail, he simply vanished. For days, she put on a temper tantrum and cried herself to sleep. No matter how many tears she cried, they weren't going to bring him back and slowly she learned to grow up.

Dave noticed her eyes change for a moment and took her hand, "Is everything alright?" He took her hand into his.

The soft touch brought her out of her déjà vu, "Yeah, sorry, I thought I saw someone I knew, but I think work is finally getting to me."

He let out a laugh and distracted her in seconds, "Does seven work?"

"Seven sounds good," and she scribbled her address down and handed him the sheet of paper. "You better not make me regret my decision."

He crossed his heart, "I promise."

…

She looked through her closet and rummaged through her miniscule collection of her dresses. For having a salary, it barely covered her expenses for rent, insurance, food, gas, and utilities, but she still managed to buy some things. She remembered one of her preceptors saying, "live well below your means," and she followed the mantra to some degree. She finally found the dress she was looking for. The soft silver with hues of pinks, purples, and blues shined just right in the fluorescent light. The pleated fabric clung to her body, and yet, it was still lightweight and manageable.

The clock struck at six, and within an hour, Dave would be picking her up at her front door. She gathered her curling iron and started to create soft curls in her long tresses. "Perfect," she whispered beneath her breath, and in minutes, she added the finishing touches to her makeup.

Not a moment too soon, she heard a soft knock at her front door. "Right on time," she smirked. She gave herself a quick final glance and adjusted a loose curled strand with bobby pin, and made her way to the door.

"You look breathtaking," Dave took one sight of her and felt the wind get knocked out of him.

She looked at her co-worker. He was dressed in a light blue shirt with khakis. "You don't look too bad yourself."

"This is for you," he pulled out a plastic case. In it, a delicate white iris wrapped in a violet ribbon.

"It's beautiful," she whispered and offered her hand towards him.

"Call me old fashion," he chuckled. He slipped on the fragile corsage onto her petite wrist. "Shall we?"

The two walked hand in hand down the steps, and eventually arrived at a local Italian bistro. "Where did you find this place?"

"One of my patients recommended it to me. They sure make a mean Tiramisu."

The two talked over a candlelight dinner for the rest of their evening. She was slowly falling in love with his charms. It was about time to let someone back in her life she thought, as she ate the last of the mascarpone cream cheese from her plate.


	3. Chapter Three

Finally getting to the 1XR, I promise! Any comments or feedback will be greatly appreciated it. Standard disclaimers apply. Thank you and enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

Heero walked down the streets, looking at random strangers as he weaved through the crowd. It was good to be back in his hometown after a two yearlong stint in the middle of nowhere.

He sure missed the sights and sounds of the busy city from street vendors to random conversations. New towers of glass teased the skyline, as the reflective surfaces caught the sunlight and illuminated nearby architectural giants.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of gold. A unique hue that he remembered fondly from before, and for a brief second, he paused in his footsteps against the beige pavement. "It couldn't be." He shoved the idea to the deepest part of his mind, but it kept forcing its way up and he had to act on it.

Ahead of him, he saw her. It was one of his kids he watched previously. Her lithe form donned a lilac halter top with a cream colored skirt. Relena Peacecraft had grown up, and he couldn't believe his own eyes. She had become a young woman.

He followed her for several blocks until she entered a building. Without knowing, he decided to enter the revolving doors and was met with a wide foyer with a building directory plastered on the marble wall. He looked at the list of names as a memory of her came to life.

"Do you know what I want to be when I grow up?" Her voice chirped.

"And what is that?" As he sat across from her make believe tea seat.

The little girl poured the invisible liquid into her white tea cups, "I want to help people, but not what Daddy does…I want to heal people."

"I think that's sounds like a good plan."

…

"Isn't this supposed to be your day off?" Dave looked up from his stack of charts, curious as to why his co-worker was there in the first place. But then again, there was a smug look sneaking up in at the corner of his mouth.

"Yes, but I need to get through my charts too. I don't want to be chart audited and get a list of deficient marks." She went up to him and kissed him. "Why didn't you wake me up this morning?"

"You looked too peaceful," he shrugged, "Sorry."

She went around the corner and into her office. A massive windstorm had taken over her shelves and desk. Books were strewn over the area along with miscellaneous lab reports that needed to be filed.

Her eyes scanned over the papers, as she made several keystrokes on her laptop. Transferring to the new system was twice as tedious as writing on the paper forms, but the work had to get done. Either way, she felt her lower back begin to spasm as she shifted in her seat.

"You should go back to the apartment." He leaned against the doorframe.

"I'm almost finished," as she continued to touch type. He walked towards her, and without warning, pushed the screen down. She looked in horror as she heard the click come from the screen, "Hey, I was about finished with that chart."

"No butts. These are doctor's orders." He leaned in to kiss her.

She looked at his brown eyes, "You better hope that last file saved. Otherwise, you'll be sleeping on the couch tonight."

"Maybe you should take back your words."

She looked at him with a perplexed look, "What do you mean?"

"Oh nothing, you'll have to wait," he kissed her again and trailed his hands down to her sides.

She felt her pulse quicken as he continued his light ministrations. "You better get back to your patients. Otherwise, you'll be here for a long while."

"Well Happy One Year Anniversary, my dear."

Relena got up from her seat and stretched out the kinks in her back. "I'll see you later," and she blew an invisible kiss towards him.

…

"Can I help you sir?" The security guard eyed at Heero for a while. The twenty year veteran with previous military experience felt that the young man was a sign of mischief.

He looked up from his magazine, "I'm just waiting for a friend of mine. She has an appointment with her doctor today."

"Very well," the old man shuffled back to his post behind the desk, but still looked at Heero occasionally.

Heero minded his own business until he saw his target walk out of the elevator. The petite blond stepped out from the steel doors and greeted the security guard. He felt his muscles in his throat constricting and his breath getting stuck somewhere in his windpipe, as she walked by him. The scent of cucumber and a floral scent trailed behind her. He quickly glanced back to his magazine, pretending to be just another stranger in the crowd.

He stole a glance after her and watched her spring across the street to the bakery. With her having the head start, he decided to follow after her. Maybe she still didn't see him. After all, kids usually don't remember their imaginary friends, and he assumed adults as well.

He bounded across the street, being mindful for the random traffic pattern coming from the taxis and public buses. And there she was again, sitting in the far corner and eating a chocolate chip bagel from what he could tell.

Above her seat, there was a mirror and he noticed his own reflection staring back at him. He watched her get up from her mini lunch and for a brief second, she paused and looked at his reflection.

For a brief instant, he felt her eyes connect with his through his reflection and he quickly left the area. "Oh shit," he muttered. Her wide eyed response was enough for him to realize that she still remembered him after all these years, and that she saw him. The last time he saw her was nineteen years ago.

"Heero?" Relena quickly packed up her belongings and ran out the door, chasing after the elusive apparition. She felt the hairs on her arms stand up. This couldn't be happening. There was no possible way that he could be here in the flesh. "You're just stressed and overtired," she talked to herself as she went down the street filled with pedestrians. "You're just imagining this, Relena. Calm down."

Her eyes scanned the crowds, hoping to find a familiar black leather jacket and denim blue jeans. "Excuse me…" she tapped on a shoulder of a man, but it wasn't his face. "Sorry." The physician assistant continued her search but she couldn't find him anywhere.

What would she do if she did spot him? A multitude of possibilities came to mind as she walked down the busy main street. Nineteen years was enough to exact revenge on him in one form or another, whether it may be ignoring him to inflicting pain on him.

She felt her head begin to throb, as she was starting to think too hard on her grand, master plan. She fought off the pulsating pin pricks that began on the sides of her head and travelled to the crown. Dave was right for her to go back to their apartment that they now shared together. Technically, it was still hers but she gave him a spare key.

She let a sigh escape from her lips. Maybe she should've stayed under the covers earlier this morning and none of this would've happened. She nibbled on her lower lip, and took one last glance at the shifting crowds that came her way. Still, there was no sign of the elusive Heero Yuy, whether he was fake or real.

…

The imaginary friend watched her from the corner of his eye. He could tell that she was disappointed by the way her shoulders stooped and how she kept her head lowered to the ground. The way she looked seared into his memory, as she walked in defeat.

Curiosity still got the best of him as he trailed behind her by at least twenty feet. He noticed every so often she glanced here and there, hoping to catch him off his guard, but he was careful not to get trapped in her line of sight.

The sun began to set below the low lying clouds. Thinking he was in the clear, he quickened his pace to head back to his own place. He rounded around the corner and bumped into a small form, "Sorry, my fault."

Not knowing who he bumped into, he quickly recognized the voice as it sliced through the distance between them. "Heero Yuy." And the minute, their eyes met, he knew he was in trouble. He stood there in shock, wondering how he managed to get caught, as he felt a fist connect with his lower jaw.


	4. Chapter Four

You know the drill. Well enjoy! Comments and critiques are always welcomed. Thanks for reading/reviewing!

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><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

"How is it I can see you?" Heero wore a black leather jacket and denim jeans. It was the exact same outfit from the last time she saw him from the night of her eighth birthday. "You left without saying goodbye." Her hand throbbed from her unexpected punch, but she neglected the nagging feeling and focused on her uninvited guest. "You're still in your mid-20s."

"I can't explain this…not just yet," his voice was steady with the same familiarity and tone.

"I'm imagining this, you can't be real," she shook her head and continued to walk down the sidewalk. "You're just a figment of my imagination…that's right." She ignored her former imaginary friend as she tried to reason with herself.

His voice pierced the distance between them, "Relena stop."

"I'm not stopping," she didn't turn around to look at him, "you're not real." She rubbed her temple, as she picked up the pace with her heels clicking loudly against the beige concrete.

"Give me a second." The scent of cucumber and floral trailed ahead of him, as he tried to catch up to her.

"Fine then," she continued to walk away from him. "Go ahead and explain."

He let out a sigh, wondering on earth how he's going to explain this one. Normally, they forget, but not her. Was it the teddy bear that he left behind on her birthday? No it couldn't be it, as he ran his hand through his chocolate hair.

He finally drew those words under his breath. "I don't have answers and…I'm sorry."

She paused in her steps and looked back towards him. His eyes caught a single glimpse of a tear that brimmed in the corner of her eye. "Of all this time, why come back now?"

His back stiffened slightly, "I don't know."

"As you can see, I grew up and I'm just fine." She stood firm in her words, "I'm going home, and don't you dare follow me, Yuy." She picked up her pace as she cut through the park.

The last sentence stunned him to say the least, and he followed her orders. He stuffed his hands into his denim jeans and walked the rest of the way back to his apartment that he frequently visited in between his cases. He logged onto to his computer and viewed his case files. He found the file he was looking for and pulled up the record. A picture of a young Relena with two missing front teeth popped up on the blue screen.

Relena Peacecraft, daughter of American Ambassador. Age five. The bold letters were sprawled out on the digitized file.

He let out a sigh of frustration. Was he becoming careless after all? He went over to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of beer that someone left behind. Hoping to drown today's weird mysterious event in the cold yellow liquid.

At that moment, the door to the apartment opened and an all too familiar face popped in.

"You're back!" He headed to the kitchen to drop off a bag of groceries, "When did you come in?"

"And it's nice to see you too," he scoffed. He shut his laptop down and walked over to see his longtime friend. "Just about now actually."

"Where did you run off to now?" He called out from the refrigerator's shelves as he unloaded a package of hot dogs and sausages. "It seems like you disappear whenever you want."

"Hn…you can say that," he drank another gulp of his beverage. "Kalamazoo, MI."

"Is there such a town called that," the violet eyed musician looked up.

"Yes there is," his monotone voice didn't show a hint of amusement, "For about a year."

"Ouch, that sounded like pure torture." He grabbed another bottle from one of the shelves. "Cheers."

The two bottles clinked, and the pair caught up on the random news of their lives. To Heero, he didn't remember how he met Duo in the first place. The only thing he could recall was looking up ads one day and caught Duo's number about having his apartment subleased, since he was out of town for half of the year due to his random guitar gigs.

"You look like you're having some issues," the musician took another swig at his bottle.

He moaned at the response, "What made you think of that?"

"Just this vibe," he scratched at the back of his head.

"Hn."

"Ah-ha!" The braided guitarist beamed, "Lady troubles, I presume," as his eyes wandered over to a faint bruise on his roommate's chin.

"Hn."

"Good luck with that," he made his way back to his kitchen. "I'm not doing well in that department either at the moment. My girlfriend streak is 0-3."

He let out a small smile, "It might be from your guitar lifestyle."

"Ouch." He began to rummage through his refrigerator, "For a roommate that I see for less than half a year that's just cold."

Heero looked out the window, "I just tell like it is."

"Speak for yourself."

…

She slammed the door with a force that shook its hinges. She continued to walk down the hallway and chucked her keys into the small cerulean dish that was on top of her mahogany table in the foyer. She let out a soft sigh and rubbed her temples again. Needle pricks radiated from the sides of her head, as she mulled over the day's events. If it was going to rain, it better start soon or else, she could feel a migraine brewing behind the back of her eyes.

"Of all the nerve, why does he have to show up now?" she gritted her teeth, as she paced in her bathroom back and forth. "Ugh." In her short burst of anger, she started drawing water in her small bathtub. The steam collected on her mirrors as she continued to pace back and forth, and slowly the sound of the water began to calm her down to some degree.

She dipped her right foot in the rejuvenating liquid and felt it to be the right temperature. In minutes, she slipped in the tub and closed her eyes. The smell of water lily and Asian pear drops diffused throughout the small bathroom.

She went over the day's events and still couldn't believe her memories. He was right there in the flesh. She sank lower in the tub and let the water overcome her senses, and when she came back up for air, she still was confused as ever. "It's just not possible," she softly spoke and closed her eyes again until a voice drifted over to her.

"You're a sight for sore eyes." Dave had managed to leave the clinic on time and now he stood in the doorway.

She let out a small laugh, and tried to hide from him under the pile of bubbles. "I didn't even hear you come in."

"Didn't I tell you to take the day off?" He looked at her as he walked across their bathroom, and somehow knew his girlfriend had a bad day.

"You were right after all." She grabbed the black tie and pulled him closer to her, and teased him with a kiss. He grabbed a towel off the rack and gave it to her. "It's not like you haven't seen me in my birthday suit before," she winked at him.

"That is true," as he picked her up from the tub and carefully placed her on their bed.

She felt his feather light kisses on the base of her neck, as she wrapped her own arms around his neck. "I love you," she whispered as she temporarily forgot today's events.

"Same here," he continued his soft caresses as he removed his shirt and tie. Before long, she felt the cold air hit her body, but she felt him continue his soft kisses.

"So this is what you had in mind after all?"

"I'm improvising as I go," he laughed as he continued his soft caresses. "And how about this?"


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

"You look different today," she placed the petite cup down back on the porcelain saucer. "I take that work has been busy for you."

"It has its ups and down." Her eyes scanned around her parents' apartment, noting several of her school photos were displayed on the mantel and a couple of Milliardo, her older adopted brother. "There are rumors they might hire a new doctor soon."

"Oh really?"

"Dr. Morgan is retiring soon and he's looking to find extra help to cover the practice."

"Well, it will be good for you then."

"I need the hours and the patients to get a paycheck, Mom." She took a sip from her wine glass.

"Enough of this business chatter," she tapped on her daughter's knee. "Anything in the love department? I need to know the latest gossip."

"Mother," she grinded her teeth.

"You must be seeing someone by now at least."

She played with the napkin on her lap, twisting the white cotton between her fingers. "And why would you want to know?"

"I want to have grandchildren of course. Your father and I aren't getting any younger."

"His name is Dave Schwarz and he is a doctor." She saw her mother's interest piqued at the mini crumb of information.

"How long have you two been together?" her eyes were beaming.

"About a year," she smiled.

Her mother let out a sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden was lifted off her thin shoulders. "I might just have to start getting the invitations ready."

"Not just yet, I don't want to rush things."

"Fine then, let me know when." She took a spoon and swirled some more cream into her second cup of coffee. "I would like to meet him and so would your father." She was already contemplating what the dinner should be, "How about this Friday?"

"That should work, since this weekend we're off."

"Perfect."

…

Heero typed away on his laptop, wondering when his next assignment will turn up. His eyes quickly scanned his inbox, and still there was nothing new. He was stuck in purgatory. Each day since his chance encounter with Relena seemed to be the same routine, and there was nothing he could do to break it.

The apartment was quiet again, since Duo jetted off to a last minute gig for extra cash. The imaginary friend let out a soft sigh, and finally made up his mind. The stalker trait in him awakened and he needed to talk to her in person again. He was tired of watching her from a distance and wasting time. He needed to know that this wasn't a random fluke at all. There must be a reason why he ended up here after all this time.

The streets were busy with the morning traffic, as he continued on foot. He spotted the all too familiar bakery that Relena frequently haunted, but she was nowhere to be seen. He was beginning to wonder if he had imagined everything, but no. She had seen him literally in the flesh with her own eyes.

His last meeting with her didn't go exactly the way he wanted, but he needed to find answers for himself. Seeing that it was still early in the day, he decided to venture out to a local bar. Just maybe he might get his answers there.

The air was stuffy for the early summer, but there were several customers scattered throughout the small establishment already diving their worries away in their drinks. His eyes scanned the darkened room, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw a cluster of them standing by a pool table in the back corner.

The sounds of the small balls ricocheting off each other echoed faintly towards him.

"Aren't you a fish out of water," a pair of soft brown eyes locked in on him. "The last I heard of you…you were up in Michigan somewhere."

"Hn."

"Which begs the question why are you here?" Normally, she knew Heero wasn't the one to frequently haunt these kinds of places. He was a loner that made his way through his assignments without any trouble.

He spoke bluntly to the point, "Une, have you had any of your kids remember you?"

"Not that I can recall," she played with her shot glass after sinking a ball in the corner pocket.

Right then, the others looked up from their short game of pool, as they eavesdropped on their conversation.

With five pairs of eyes looking at him, "Has anyone else?" And he was met, with nos all around from his counterparts.

"You truly are in on your own, Yuy. I don't know what else to say."

"Has there been anyone else in the past before us?"

"No," she shook her head. For the all time she has been in this business, she couldn't recall any stories of this ever happening. "You must've done something."

He ran his hand through his brown locks, "I left her a teddy bear."

"That's the only connection, nothing else."

"Nothing else?" She looked squarely in his eyes, "I really don't have an answer here. Maybe HQ made a mistake somewhere along the way."

"Hn."

He truly was in on his own, and here he was back to square one. Was it his mistake to leave the teddy bear? Of all his assignments, that was the only thing that was different. The single anomaly that stood out against his flawless record.

…

The weather had taken a turn for the worse as she left her parents' apartment that day. She pulled out her lime green umbrella and walked quickly to her car. The drive back to the city wasn't as troublesome, since the majority of the cars were heading out to suburbia.

The rain continued its soft cascade from the heavens as she pulled up to her apartment complex. Seeing that Dave wouldn't be home for a while, she decided to take a small walk at the nearby park. The beads gently pelted against her umbrella as she walked beneath the catalpa and maple trees.

A couple of runners passed by her on the small trail, as she continued to her walk. Everything seemed to fall into place, and she couldn't complain. Life was good to her and she knew it. But once in every so often, she could feel that pull back to Heero. Whenever a random stranger with chocolate brown hair passed by her, she would see his face. Why was he coming up now?

The day they had a chance encounter, she knew she shouldn't have scolded him and punched him, but having pent up feelings over a decade, she had to vent at him. Hopefully he understood. He always understood when she was little.

To be honest, she had been avoiding her frequent haunts just to avoid him for these past several weeks. But on several occasions, she felt his presence nearby, but she ignored the twinge in her heart. "Heero." Is it possible to fall in love with an imaginary friend?

She continued to walk, as her eyes honed in on a fountain. Its underwater lights from the pool sparkled in the light shower, as small puffs of water shot out and dove back in to the other side. Every so often, she heard loud plops.

The wind started to pick up as the shower intensified. The rain began to feel like needle pricks on her skin, as the cold liquid ran down her bare arms.

"Perfect," she muttered under breath. She quickened her pace against the falling liquid and with increasing steps, she felt something stab in her shoulder and the sharp pain ran down her back. She gasped for air as she continued her walk. Her hand lost its grip on the umbrella, and all of a sudden she couldn't catch her breath.

The blond doubled in pain as she fell to the ground, and she felt her heartbeat s racing with every breath that she tried to take. "This can't be happening," she thought in her mind, "I'm too young."

Her thoughts swirled as she tried reaching her purse to grab her cell phone. At the same time, the pain intensified and her vision fogged before her. "Somebody please help me," her words barely a whisper as they drowned in the rain.


	6. Chapter Six

Here's another update. Standard disclaimers apply. R/R please and thank you!

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><p><strong>Chapter Six<strong>

For one thing, Heero hated the rain. He never liked it and never will like it, no matter where he went. Today there was something different. Call it an intuition or a sixth sense, but he didn't like the feeling at all. From the moment he stepped outside from the bar, he felt the black cloud following him. He couldn't shake the feeling at all.

He returned back to Duo's place, hoping that it was just another assignment coming his way. The blank computer screen mocked back at him, and so did the empty inbox. That's when he decided to head back out into the downpour, seeing there was nothing else to do.

Outside, he felt a chill run through his bones and somehow he began his way towards the park. He pulled up his hood over his head, as the droplets pelted against the black windbreaker.

Ahead of him, sirens blared out in the distance, cutting through repetitive pings. His eyes focused in on a group of bystanders that were standing around a small water fountain. He made his way towards the crowd, and the moment he saw her he froze for a brief second.

Her skin was pale and her lips turned an ashen blue. Her teal short sleeved bloused clung to her wet body as her golden hair he used to know was matted on her face in a disarray of directions.

"Did anyone see what happened?" A couple of bystanders began to hover over her, sheltering her from the rain, as the sirens were closing in on their location.

Heero pushed his way through the crowd and kneeled beside her. He took off his windbreaker and rolled it up into a pillow, and placed it underneath her head. He couldn't say anything, but stood over her.

He felt for a pulse around her neck, and it was there. A little fast, but she was still alive. He let out a sigh of relief, "Hang in there," he whispered and pulled some of her wet hair off her face.

…

She heard the commotion around her, as an oxygen mask was placed on her. Voices blurred indistinctly, as heard random words coming from strangers. She felt a gentle caress on her face at the same time, but she didn't recognize the blurred image in front of her. She was exhausted and all she wanted to do was fall back asleep. "Why did you wake me?" Her words were muffled beneath the mask.

For every breath she took, she felt like someone was still stabbing her in the back. The shock radiated down her back and she coughed reflexively. The pain became more excruciating, and she found a hand she clung to. Her petite fingers wrapped around the stranger's, and she felt reassurance after the gentle squeeze. The effect calmed her down as she tried to steady her breathing.

Her eyes closed once more as the sounds were drowned out by her deepening sleep.

"Heero? Where are you?" An eight year old girl's voice trailed in the darkness. Her blond hair caught fragments of light that came from one single nightlight. "Are you hiding from me?" She rubbed her eyes with hands, hoping to clear her vision. The floorboards creaked underneath her weight as she walked down the empty corridor. "Heero?"

She was tired of the emptiness she was feeling. How could he have left her? She crumpled in a corner of the hallway in disbelief. Her one true friend had abandoned her. This was all a bad dream. It had to be. He had promised he would be with her. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rocked herself.

"Here's a tissue," a large hand held the delicate paper.

Her hand received the flimsy object, but she didn't dear to look up at the voice. The next thing she knew she was at her current age, and she felt the figure sit beside her. She felt his shoulder brush against her arm, but she didn't flinch as he adjusted his weight. Her eyes focused at the other end of the hallway, where the pale moonlight slipped through the window.

"You can't be real," her words were numb and lifeless. "You just can't be."

He took the words as best as he could. "I'm here now."

She scratched at the back of her head, feeling the pain rippling through her back. She calmed herself down and looked towards the man, her former imaginary friend. "This is crazy."

"It's not," his monotone voice shattered the silence once more.

She got up from her spot and walked away from him, the discomfort in her chest diminishing somewhat. She wandered over to the window. Shadows were casted at oblong angles, and varying trees stood firm to the soil as a gust of wind washed over. "You know what I did when you left?" She waited for a response from him, as she heard him shift his weight on the creaky floorboards. "I cried myself to sleep for days wishing that you were coming back. Soon enough, it dawned on me. I began to pack away the things we did together. Through all of this, my parents saw the transformation. And there was one last thing from my childhood that remained." She bit the bottom of her lip, tasting metallic liquid as it ran towards her tongue. "I threw the teddy bear outside during a thunderstorm, hoping I would finally forget about you." Her eyes caught her own reflection staring back at her, "My butler brought him back and cleaned him. He knew how much that bear meant to me." She sighed and crossed her arms. "And to this day, he was right."

He looked over at her direction and saw her silhouette outlined by the moonlight that streamed through the cracked window. He wanted to say something but what words will fill the void he had created? Nothing seemed right. And yet, he was never one for words to begin with. How is it that he could talk to children easily and not to her? At that moment, he felt a heaviness grow in his heart. A feeling that he never took into account before, and maybe a feeling he had ignored from the very beginning.

The silence was deafening at this point and his eyes focused on a vase full of withered roses to distract his thoughts. The blackened petals sat on top of the dried stems. "I'm sorry." The words sliced through the distance between them.

Her back stiffened a little but it was enough for her for the time being. Sooner or later she knew she had to let it go. The toxic feeling she held for so long began to melt little by little. There must be a reason why he truly was here. "Me too." She rubbed her left shoulder, "I can never truly hate you."

The minutes that passed seemed more like hours to them, as they stood by the imaginary boundary that was drawn between them. Neither one knew what to say to each other. Relena focused her sight through the cracked window and watched the moon rise higher into the black night. Its pale moonlight highlighted her skin as well as her blond hair. She heard footsteps come from behind her until she felt his breath cascade down her neck. She turned around to face him and saw his Prussian eyes up close. His face still held the far off distance look that she knew all too well. "I still don't get it."

He shook his head in response in defeat. "Me neither." His hand trailed down her face. He was trying so hard to quench the feeling that was brewing inside his body.

She remembered one conversation with him during one of their regular afternoon tea sessions. Out of nowhere, she asked the question point blank, "Do you have a heartbeat?"

His eyes furrowed at the simple question. He never really thought about it until now, "I don't think so."

"Do you even have a heart?" as she raised her teapot pouring the imaginary liquid into the plastic teacup.

He looked questioningly at his young charge, wondering what she was up to.

She plopped the teapot back onto the table and went over to where he sat. Her tiny hands landed on his chest and she waited there for a few minutes. She squinted her eyes, trying to understand what she was feeling, which was nothing beneath her fingertips besides her own heartbeat. "I guess you're right." And she resumed her tea time as if nothing had happened.

…

Heero looked at her and there was a familiar gleam in her blue orbs. "Don't."

In matter of seconds, her right hand landed on his chest and felt through the white fabric. She closed her eyes to drown out her vision and she felt his chest rise slowly and up down beneath her fingertips. She honed in one specific feeling and she continued to have her hand rest on his chest. She moved past the feeling of her own heartbeats. And then there was faint flutter. A low beat picked up from her ring finger. It was faint but it was there. "You have a heartbeat," she whispered.

"I do?" Her reply sent a shockwave through his system.

"Right here," she guided his hand over to the faint beat.

"Hn."

The couple inched closer until she was nestled at his neck. Her hand still was on his chest. "Maybe you are becoming real."

"Maybe."

She looked back up at him. His Prussian eyes caught a sliver of the pale light and he inched closer to her. Their lips barely brushed each other. She felt her breathing rise and waited for him. There was no turning back now.

"Heero," her voice was soft. He held her in his arms, as he continued to stare at her.

All felt right for the moment as she relaxed into his embrace. She felt safe with him until she felt another stab wreak havoc on her tiny frame. Her loud scream broke the quiet between them as she collapsed in his arms.


	7. Chapter Seven

Sorry for the late update, random work schedules are starting. Thanks for reading!

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><p><strong>Chapter Seven<strong>

The loud scream pierced through his light nap, as it drifted from one of the patient rooms. Somehow he must have fallen asleep on the bench and he wondered if his dream was real or not. He didn't have time to worry about it, as he quickly ran over to where they had wheeled Relena to.

At the door, he was barred from entering by a young nurse, but his eyes caught at least one doctor in there. A tray was setup beside the gurney with plastic tubing, scissors, a scalpel, and other random metallic equipment. His eyes wandered to where she laid on her back with blue cloths draping over the front half of her chest.

Her eyes were closed as he watched on. "I'm with her," he pleaded with the nurse. "Let me stay with her."

"You cannot be in here. We're doing a procedure," her voice was unyielding, as she stood in the doorway.

"Please, she needs someone."

"Heero!"

The nurse finally relented through his pleas and he quickly rushed over to her side. "I'm right here," he whispered.

"Heero," her breathing was erratic as she felt more pressure coming from her side. "Make it stop," her eyes were brimming with tears. "It hurts," she gasped for air.

"Almost finished…hang in there," a voice trailed off to the side. "There's going to be more pressure."

"What does she have?" Heero looked over towards the doctor in charge, as he watched him pushing a tube in.

"She has a collapsed lung and we're placing a chest tube."

Relena already knew the diagnosis and she gritted her teeth against the pain she was feeling. At least, it wasn't a heart attack.

"There… we're finished," the doctor stepped away from her side. "If this doesn't work, we might be heading towards surgery, but we'll wait for now."

She nodded in agreement as the head of her bed was raised. Her gown was adjusted by the nurse, while Heero kept his sight on Relena's face. She truly was worn out after the ordeal.

"Thanks for staying with me," her voice barely above a whisper.

"You're welcome."

She had a perplex look on her face and wondered if it was the right time to ask, but seeing they were alone, it was the perfect time, "This might sound strange, but I just had a dream about you."

"You did?"

"It's silly." She adjusted herself on the gurney, but the slight movements aggravated the plastic tube. "Never mind," she winced at the slight tug coming from her side. He took his hand into hers and placed it on his chest. He watched her reaction for the second time that night and it was priceless. Her eyes widened as she felt the faint fluttering of beats beneath her fingertips.

"I can't believe this is happening." She shook her head back and forth, "I began to think you were a figment of my imagination after you left."

"Here we go again."

…

Heero continued his vigil by her side, even after they moved her to a private room up on the upper floors. He didn't want her to be alone and as far as he was concerned, he wasn't going anywhere for the time being. If there were assignments, he would ignore them.

Footfalls were sporadic in the hallways, but eventually another familiar face popped into her room.

"I came as fast I could, but my flight was delayed." Her boyfriend strolled over to her bedside and placed some roses on her nightstand.

"Those look lovely," she whispered. "Thank you," as she gave a light peck on his cheek.

Heero felt uncomfortable in front of the two and he stuffed his hands in his pockets, wondering if he should bolt now.

"This is Heero. He's a really good friend of mine since we were kids. He helped me when I collapsed in the park apparently." It was a partial white lie but it was enough to get by at the moment.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, and thank you for staying with her." The doctor in him was starting to appear on the surface, "Did they know how it happened?"

"No, they think it's spontaneous. Some bubble must've burst."

"At least you're getting better," he stroke the side of her cheek.

She winced in pain as she tried to move in her bed. The two reacted at the same time, wondering what they could do. "I'm fine. It just hurts to move." She tried pulling herself up as she felt the plastic tube tug slightly on her side, "You two can leave, I'll be fine."

Dave pulled up a chair beside her, "I'm not going anywhere."

"You just took a flight from Kansas City and you look like crap."

"And so do you." He brushed away a few stray hairs from her pale face. He noticed her eyes were bloodshot.

Heero managed to disappear into the background. He watched the young couple as they drifted off to sleep. He never really liked being in the hospital. The smells of bleach and alcohol nauseated him at times. And being a kindred spirit to the young, he could hear random whispers drift within his range. He could feel their feelings and he couldn't do anything about it.

Over the intercom, random pages were sent out for personnel as he walked through the sterile hallways. He walked over to the corner at the end of some hallway. The early sunrise glowed in the distance as the night retreated from the ever growing purple and pink hues.

The city was slowly waking from its slumber and he let out another sigh, taking in the quiet morning. His eyes focused on the brimming sun over the horizon and he could feel her sleep peacefully. Of all the people, he was still connected to her.

He took his wrist and felt for his pulse. In steady succession, he felt the beats underneath his own fingertip. What was really going on? That truly was another question to be answered but it would have to wait for the time being.

Somehow Relena managed to come back into his life. A spark from his past that was now coming at full force towards him. Call it fate or divine intervention, there was something pulling him back towards her and something told him not to let her go again.

"I thought I would find you here," a familiar voice came from behind.

"The same goes for yourself," he continued to look out through the glass window. The streets were casted in the afterglow of yesterday's storm.

"You know the others are here as well, and they've been talking about you."

"Really?" Heero turned towards his friend that he had met fifty years ago while in San Francisco in a local café.

"No one else has heard anything of the sort." The blond stared out the windows, "It's a first as I can recall. We're still searching for any leads, but right now it's a dead end trail."

"Thanks Quatre."

"Whatever is happening to you, I wish you the best."


	8. Chapter Eight

Here's another update. Just a word of caution, the rating will go for up for this chapter. Enjoy! Read and review please!

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight<strong>

She saw her reflection gaze back at her from the mirror. Her honey blond hair trailed down her neck in soft waves, as she adjusted her lilac halter top and cream colored skirt. There was an eerie quiet that surrounded her, and she wondered where everyone was. Normally, the restaurant would be alive at this time of day with waiters hustling about with their trays, as customers chatted about their lives. Their random conversations molding with one another. The rows of tables with white linens and porcelain china sat empty. And on top of each table, a small flame flickered about in the invisible waves of air that fanned the room.

She peeked outside the window and the streets were empty as well, "Where is everyone?"

The honey blond walked through the rows of tables just to pass the time away, but time again slowed down. A chill crept up on her arms and she saw the goose-bumps form on her pale skin. Seeing that she couldn't escape, she sat down in one of the booths and played with the flickering light. Occasionally, she would make glances about the room looking at how the mirrors played with each other's reflections, while at other times she focused on the whimsical banisters that lined the main hall.

"You look like you could use one of these."

A two scooped sundae was placed before her. The mounds of vanilla were drizzled with hot fudge and topped off with a cherry.

"You remembered." She took the spoon and stopped a deluge of chocolate from spilling over the glass. "Why is it we keep meeting in dreams?"

Heero shrugged his shoulders without saying anything, as he watched her with his vigilant eyes. She continued to play with the chocolate sauce, as she carved into the almond surface, and watched it seep into the newly formed tracks.

"You haven't said much."

"Hn."

"There you go again with that syllable," she laughed. "I think you had an easier time talking to my eight year old self."

"Kids are easier to talk to," he leaned forward in his seat, "and have bigger imaginations."

She let out a small laugh as she recalled several of her patients' with their tall tales. Heero looked at her and drank in the sight before him. It was these small moments that he felt drawn to her even more. Without thinking, he grabbed her hands and led her up from her seat.

"What are you thinking, Heero?" She watched him with curiosity as he led her to the main center of the room.

"Just follow my lead," he whispered into her ear.

Under the crystal chandeliers, the pair began to dance to an invisible tune. She felt his hands rest on the small of her back and felt them gently coax her to come closer to him. She felt safe in his arms again and she closed her eyes as he continued to lead them in the empty room.

Heero looked down on his former young charge and at that moment, he felt complete. A sense of peace washed over him and he was lucky to be with her. Their eyes connected again, and in seconds, Relena was on her tip toes and she leaned up towards him.

It was brief yet gentle, as their lips met for the first time. It took him by surprise, and her simple action made him bolder in his own right.

The room transformed from its ornate decorations to an all too familiar room. In the corner, a row of stuffed animals were randomly arranged with heads craning above one another.

"Heero," she whispered, and she felt his hands come from behind her. He was shielding her briefly, and she slowly turned around to face him. Her petite hands wrapped around the nape of his neck, as she pulled him closer and the two began to kiss.

She fumbled with his shirt, as she continued their kiss. Soon enough, she felt his own hands run down on the front of her body. She whimpered beneath his touch, as he continued his ministrations. His hands met the edge of the light fabric and slowly, he lifted the edge a little by little, revealing more skin until the light violet fabric pooled to the floor.

She quickly covered her chest with crossed arms, but he coaxed them back down her sides. "You're beautiful," he whispered.

Her body started to feel the excitement and she felt like her heart could leap out of her chest. She felt his hands reach behind her and her bra released its hold around her frame. The small orbs were bared to his view and he caressed one in his hand. His single touch sent electricity throughout her body and she never felt like this before.

She pulled him closer and soon enough, the two lay naked on her bed. Her fingers danced a trail along his spine, as she felt his caresses between her neck and chest.

"Relena."

"Heero," she played with several strands of his hair that fell in his line of sight.

The two lay side by side for another hour as they watched the sky transform from a fiery orange to a dull hazy violet. Heero watched the dying sunlight cast its afterglow on her body.

"You better not let me go ever," she poked at his chest.

"I'll try not to," as he memorized the contours of her body.

…

She felt a warm sensation come from her legs and radiate up her body. Her mind coaxed her back to sleep, but in the distance, she heard voices. She tried shutting them out, as her mind kept focusing on the muffled sounds.

"Yeah I'm going golfing this weekend. I heard the weather is going to cooperate finally."

The words were slowly registering through her brain, and she opened her eyes. "What happened?" Her words were weak and dry.

"You're finally awake," a male nurse checked her IV and incision sites. "You're in recovery now."

She scratched at her side of her head and found a blue surgical cap still. The male nurse gently tugged on it and a cascade of blond hair fell on her shoulders. "That's right." She closed her eyes back and tried to relax as much as she could. The last few days she felt more like a prisoner held against her will as her prognosis wasn't getting better. After seeing her own x-rays, her lung still didn't inflate the way it was supposed to.

"We're going to transfer you back to your room now."

She heard the clicks come from the brakes as she felt someone wheeling the entire gurney. Flashes of light and random voices filtered through her senses, and she just wanted to sleep. A pair of gentle hands nudged her from her light nap and she saw him still waiting in her room.

"I've got her."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

She felt a strong hold around her arms as she made the short distance to her bed. She was exhausted and with everything going on, she just wanted to forget her entire hospital stay. All she wanted was to go back to her apartment and sleep in her own bed for once.

"Just go to sleep."

Her eyes opened weakly, "Heero," she smiled at the fuzzy sight of him. She managed to find his hand and gently held it for a while. "I won't break you know."

Sensing she was still under the anesthesia's effects, he continued to hold her for awhile, but felt a slight heat come from his face. The minute she drifted off to sleep, he could feel her dreaming once more.


	9. Chapter Nine

Hello everyone, here's another update! Sorry about the random updates, but my schedule doesn't allow me to post regularly anymore. As for future updates, they should occur over the weekends. And to some of my readers, enjoy your Labor Day Holiday! Thanks for reading, and comments/critiques are always welcomed.

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><p><strong>Chapter Nine<strong>

The last few weeks had been a whirlwind. He finally saw a message in his inbox for an assignment out in rural Iowa, but that didn't last long. A mere three days for a small town festival, and straight back to Duo's apartment. The steam from his morning shower coated the mirror, and he wiped away the newly formed liquid from the reflective surface.

He started to shave the stubble that was forming on his jaw line. It was a mundane routine, but after rounding the lower right corner of his jaw, a smudge of red began to drip down. The droplet fell to the white sink basin. The single line of scarlet slowly merged with the clear liquid in the sink, and soon red streaks swirled near the drain. He furrowed his eyes and couldn't recall the last time he had nicked himself while shaving.

"Hn."

Soon enough, he got dressed and headed out the door. By now, summer had its grasp around the city. A heat wave snarled the temperatures in the upper 90's and there was no relief in sight. He passed by a couple of ice cream trucks that rang its tunes and watched the neighborhood kids flock to them in a mad dash.

He spotted a diner and decided to beat the heat temporarily. A wave of cool air met his face as he sought shelter. Inside, a couple of customers were sitting at the counter, looking over the morning newspaper. Their cups of coffee lined with brown stains at the top.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" The waitress had her pen and paper waiting.

"Lemonade."

He watched her disappear in seconds to the back of the diner. With that, he focused on ordering brunch. The waitress came back with the pale yellow drink and walked away to tend to her other customers.

His eyes remained focus on laminated paper, as he felt someone sit across from him.

"I heard you wanted some answers." The stranger watched Heero's reactions.

The imaginary friend looked up from paper and looked at the person across from him. He recalled seeing that face somewhere along his travels. "Do I know you?"

"That all depends."

He took a sip of his lemonade, wondering if this man was real or not. "How did you hear of me?"

"Through rumors and connections."

"Let's get to the point."

"Fine with me." He crossed his arms and placed his aviator sunglasses on the table.

"I was out on assignment back some thirty years ago. My charge was a little girl out in Sandusky, Ohio. I was with her for at least two years to help her through some rocky patches. Her home life wasn't that perfect."

Heero listened attentively to the stranger's story, while swirling pale yellow liquid with the straw at times, hoping to disperse the ice cubes. He motioned to the stranger if he wanted one, but he opted for a glass of ice water.

"You know how it works. You leave them by their eighth birthday. Well, somehow she remembered me. She spotted me in a crowd at an art museum one Sunday afternoon in Chicago. She was 20 years old by then." He took a sip from the cold ice water. "There are some children with an inherited ability to remember their imaginary friends. Their imagination is the key to why they remember us, and if you give them an object it just amplifies the bond between the two of you."

Heero was taken aback at the subtle revelation. He was right in analyzing all the assignments he had been on and the one single confounding factor came back…the teddy bear. "And then what happened to you?"

"I should ask you about yourself now." His eyes peeked in curiosity.

His eyes furrowed again, seeing that he was being met with more questions back at him. "You can probably answer them."

"Probably, but won't."

"What kind of answer is that?"

"You'll understand slowly." He took another sip of water.

"And what object did you give her then?"

"Well there you are," a female voice drifted over towards their table. "I was waiting at the bookstore for a while. I thought this was going to be a simple coffee run."

"My apologies, my dear." He leaned in to kiss the woman.

Heero looked at the pair and noticed a silver chain around the woman's neck. At the end of it, a small silver heart with a diamond set in the center of it. He caught a glimpse of an engraving with the initial L in cursive.

"I'll be right out, I promise."

"You better be," she teased. "Sorry to interrupt." She waved at him and looked at Heero with her violet eyes. "Is this the friend you mentioned?"

"Yes."

"Pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Heero responded back and watched her leave the diner.

"You can guess what object I gave her."

"Yes." He took another sip of his lemonade, "You never finished your answer about my last question."

"Like I said you'll find out eventually." He looked at his watched and noted that his wife waited long enough, "It's rare for this to happen. I have to leave now, but I hope this conversation helps."

"It did." He looked back at the stranger, "is there any way I can contact you?"

"In due time."

Heero watched the tall man with blue eyes leave. At least, he finally got some answers to his list of questions. But what does all of this mean still? He was still receiving assignments periodically, but not as frequent. And with Relena finding his heartbeat and him nicking himself while shaving, maybe he was starting to become human.

…

Relena sat propped up in her bed as she looked over at her nightstand. On the smooth white surface, an almond colored teddy bear with a red ribbon wrapped around its neck sat still. Its chocolate eyes stared right back at her.

Her eyes focused back onto her laptop, as she caught up on her work from the office. Patient or not, she still had work to finish.

"I thought the doctor told you to take it easy," Dave leaned against the doorway with her lunch tray.

"He did and he said nothing too strenuous." She continued to type away, ignoring him for a minute. "This is nothing too strenuous," as her fingers danced across the keypad.

He placed the tomato soup on the nightstand and looked at her teddy bear. "He gave that to you didn't he?"

Relena looked up from her laptop's soft glow, "Yeah, he did. I had that bear since I was eight years old."

"He's been a good friend all this time." He sat at the edge of their bed and his eyes held conflicting views at times.

"Are you feeling alright, Dave?" Relena tried leaning forward, but her boyfriend told her not to.

"I'm fine." He stuffed his hands into his pocket and pursed his lips. "There's something I need to tell you."


	10. Chapter Ten

Here's another update! Thanks for reading.

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><p><strong>Chapter Ten<strong>

Relena stared at the pallium above her head. The sunset was teasing the horizon as it slowly made its way downward. The last drop of gold clung to the ever dominating violet hues. Her mind and heart were racing. Everything felt a blur to her, and she couldn't think straight. She played with the princess cut solitaire ring with her fingers. The white stone caught the last remaining seconds of daylight as she continued to look at the lakefront. The waves were rolling and coalescing with one another.

"If only it were simple." She palmed the sand, wondering what she should do. She hadn't said yes or no to be exact. Dave made her promise to think about it, and told her to keep the ring for the time being.

In the distance, she heard laughter coming from her family's summer home being carried with the lake breeze. Dave was probably telling them how they first met and how she turned him down twice before finally giving in.

She let out a soft sigh and continued to watch the rolling waves. There was enough on her plate too. Besides her pending engagement, Dave also broke the news that the two of them would be out of a job, since the practice wanted to bring in two full time physicians. Talk about life changing events.

Light footfalls were heard coming from behind her, but she continued to stare straight ahead.

"Penny for your thoughts?

She smiled and let out a small laugh. She still played with the ring in her hands.

"Have you thought about it?" He asked sheepishly.

"Yeah I have."

"And?"

"I still need more time," she looked at him pleadingly. Her eyes caught a glimpse of the moonlight.

"I understand." He took a rock and chucked it into the lake. "I think your parents like me."

"By the sound of it, it sure does." She punched him in the right shoulder. "At least, we finally got around to having dinner with them."

"I was thinking."

"Hmm?"

"Seeing that we're both going to be unemployed soon, move with me back to Montana."

"That's an interesting proposition." She leaned on his shoulder, "Getting tired of the big city already?"

"Truth…yes." He looked out at the water. "The big boss already sent out our letters of recommendation out to a clinic in my hometown."

"Wow," she played with a handful of sand, and watched the tiny granules fall from her grasp.

"Like I said just think about it."

"I will." She leaned in to kiss him, as she felt his arms snake his way around her.

…

Relena turned away from the sleeping form. She felt his arm around her waist, but he was sound asleep. She pulled lightly at the white sheet to cover herself. Somehow they managed to sneak in from the beach up to one of the guestrooms.

Her eyes focused on the corner of the window, and a sliver of the moon shown through. She loved this type of summer nights, where she could just let her emotions run and enjoy what she had in front of her. It gave her some sense of clarity.

Every time, she kissed Dave, it didn't feel like she was there. Her mind drifted back to Heero, and even her own heart knew it from the start. She couldn't keep playing this game, and no matter how she played, someone will eventually get hurt.

"Can't sleep?"

"Yeah," she stretched herself out, letting the white sheet pool down at her waist. "Sorry if I woke you up."

He leaned in and pulled away at her blond hair being highlighted by the moonlight. He placed feather light kisses at the base of her neck and created a trail down her left side, paying close attention to several scars left from her surgery.

She turned towards him and returned his affection. "You are really making this hard for me. Aren't you?" She watched his grin widen in the darkness.

The two cuddled under the covers and listened to the waves breaking against the rocks.

"Have you had an imaginary friend before?"

Dave looked down at her, wondering where this conversation was heading, "Maybe…I don't remember."

"Say if you did, would you believe in them?"

"You mean like Santa Claus?"

"You're such a tease," she poked at his chest, "for real now."

"I guess it all depends," he twisted a strand of her hair in her fingers. "I know some of my younger patients describe them all the time, and you just play along in their game."

"What happens if you thought they can be real?"

"Maybe they just have one of those faces." He bit on his lower lip.

"Maybe." She leaned in to kiss him.

"Where is this conversation really going?"

"I was just curious that's all."

He kissed her on the top of her head, "You must've had some pretty good anesthesia during that surgery."

She laughed, "In my wildest dreams."

"I hope it was me that you were dreaming."

"My lips are sealed," she teased at him. "Besides a girl doesn't kiss and tell at the same time."

…

Weeks passed and the final day came. A huge red circle was drawn on her calendar. It was her last day at work with Dave. Over the past weeks, she slowly regained her strength and increased her patient load much to Dave's dismay for her stubbornness and persistence in the matter.

She had another hour before her last patient. Everything was caught up to say the least, no open charts left and her personal objects were already packed in boxes.

Heero managed to disappear from her life once more. She tried tracking him down a couple days earlier, but no one remembered ever seeing a man that fit her description.

"He did it again."

She looked out her office window, and looked at the water front. Out there somewhere, he was there in the middle of it all. She tucked a strand of her loose hair behind her ear and continued to watch from her window.

"Would I miss this," she thought to herself. With Dave, she knew he could be depended on and that he was real. He was something unexpected that found his way in her life. Plain and simple. And with Heero, she had known him since she was a kid. A product of her imagination to keep her occupied on those long trips that her parents took to meet dignitaries. And he too, managed to sneak in on her at the most unexpected place of all.

"Relena, your next patient is here." A voice from her phone rang off.

"Thanks," she punched a button in return. With that, she grabbed her stethoscope and went to see her last patient.

She composed herself before knocking on the door, and took a quick peek before walking in. "My my, Alexis, you're getting big."

"Why thank you, Miss Relena." The pigtailed girl sat on her mother's lap.

"I hear its your last day today."

"It sure is, Mrs. Flood." She scooted closer to her patient. "So I take it, Alexis, is getting ready for kindergarten."

"Yup," she piped in.

"Alright let's get started then."

"Can you first check Kat?"

"Is she sitting next to you?"

"How did you know?" She looked at her curiously.

"I have a knack for this."

After demonstrating the exam on her imaginary friend, Relena quickly took the chance to check her young patient. "See that was quick and simple."

"Yeah, but do I have to get shots too?"

"I'm afraid so, but maybe Kat can hold your hand or something."

The little girl had her reservations and tried to hold in her sniffles, "I don't know." She clung to her mother tightly.

"It's going to be okay," she whispered into her daughter's ear.

"Do you want me to give them?"

"Okay," her voice still hesitant.

"That's a good girl," she patted on the top of her head. "You're a big brave girl." Relena got the tray setup, and these are just going to feel like little bee stings. In seconds, everything was done. "See that wasn't that bad."

"Heero was right about you," the little girl looked up at her.

"About what," the young physician assistant was surprised.

"You have a good heart, and he likes you a lot."

"And do you know where he is?" She placed a Hello Kitty band-aid over the injection site.

"No, but he left me with Kat."

She patted Alexis on her head again. "Well thank you for being my last patient. I'm going to miss you."

"You're not going far way now?" She looked up pleadingly with her doe eyes.

"I don't know."

"I'm sure going to miss you, Relena. Hopefully I can find someone just like you for Alexis."

"It's a pleasure and take care the both of you."

Alexis jumped off her mother's lap and quickly ran to hug at her legs. "Bye Miss Relena."

She watched the pair leave through the doorway, and while she was disposing the needles, she felt a pair of eyes watching her every move.

"Come on Kat!" Alexis' voice called out from the hallway.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Hello, Everyone! Sorry about the prolonged wait, but I finally got the weekend off. Thanks for reading!

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><p><strong>Chapter Eleven<strong>

"Relena?"

"Over here," she called from the window looking over the busy street. She nursed a wine glass in her hand, hoping the light alcohol would calm her nerves. She had thought up numerous ways to break the news to her fiancé including sending a text to him from her Blackberry. But none of them felt right. She didn't want to be the coward at the end.

"You finished early at work today," he leaned in to kiss her.

"Yeah I sure did." She took a sip from her glass, "I figured I'll get a jumpstart on moving some of my boxes from the office."

He took her wine glass and took a sip from it. His eyes scanned around her apartment, and he noticed she hadn't even packed yet for their trip. "And you're procrastinating here," he let a small laugh, but felt the tension in the air. "What's wrong?"

"I have something to tell you." She turned around to face him. "I think this belongs to you." She pulled out the ring from a silver chain around her neck. The white gold band hung heavy from the delicate strand as it hovered over his hand.

"Relena."

"Dave, you've been so good to me, but I don't think I can leave this place. I'm sorry," her eyes were filling with tears.

"I understand." He pulled her close and held her tight. "I'm going to miss you."

"Same here." She leaned up to kiss him. "Thank you for everything."

They broke apart from their embrace, and she felt herself shudder as she watched him walk out from her life forever. He walked over to the front door and placed her apartment key in the ceramic bowl. The clink resonated through the hallways and sliced through her senses. She felt an ache grow in her heart as she watched the last glimpse of Dave disappearing in the crowd.

And now, she took a leap of faith. She had to find Heero now.

The early evening brought out the neighborhood, as they enjoyed the summer night. The art fair was in full swing, as vendors setup their works for public viewing. She wove through the crowds and finally ended at the restaurant she frequently haunted as child.

The mirrors greeted her as she entered, but she didn't find him there.

"Where are you?"

She exited through the revolving doors and a summer breeze greeted her. Her next stop was her favorite coffee shop, and again, it was the same ending. He wasn't there at all. He seemed as if he never existed.

She weaved through the crowds again and felt a sense of disappointment wash over her. She walked to the park and hoped the fresh air would clear her mind. Another summer breeze rustled through the trees and brought with it a wave of fireflies.

She closed her eyes and listened to city's pulse…stranger's conversations to the faint buzzing of the fireflies around her. She belonged here. She listened for a couple of more minutes until she felt another person sit at the opposite end of the bench.

"Some night."

Relena opened her eyes and recognized the voice immediately. "Heero."

"I heard you met one of my little kids."

"Yes I did."

"Where's Dave?" He looked around to see if her boyfriend was in the crowd.

"He's gone…went back to Montana." Her eyes focused on a firefly that tempted with the jets of water, as it weaved around the fountain.

"I see."

"Where you for these past weeks?"

"On assignment. You should know that by now."

"Right," she pursed her lips.

"Though… there was an interesting dream."

Relena felt her face flushed remembering it fondly.

"It was interesting to say the least." His voice was steady, as he went to stroke her hand.

"So how is it that you can see my dreams?"

"I don't know how it exactly works, but I think it has something to do with the teddy bear." He continued to stroke her hand. "Somehow it amplifies our connection together."

"All from a stuffed teddy bear." She scooted closer to him. "You're not going to disappear anymore?"

"I don't think so."

"And how have you been getting around?" She looked up at him and saw those Prussian eyes of his.

"Through the Internet with wire transfers."

"And before that?"

"Meeting local connections in clandestine places."

She leaned in on his arm and took these small moments to heart. There was no rhyme or reason why this was happening, but no matter what the outcome was, something special was happening.

"What does this make you then?"

"To be honest, I don't know." He looked out at the fountain with her, "Guardian Angel...imaginary friend. You can call it whatever you want."

"I think you're human now," she poked at his arm.

He let out a small laugh as he trailed down his finger across her soft cheek. "I guess so."

"Does this mean you'll grow old now?"

"Maybe."

She leaned up to kiss him. "Sounds like a good plan."

The two sat on the bench and watched visitors walk through the park. In the distance, a string quartet was playing classical music.

"Dance with me."

"Right here," she looked at him with surprise.

"Yes right here."

She took his offer and reached for his free hand. The pair began to dance underneath the starry skies just like what they did in their dream.

"A little birdie told me it was your last day at work," he whispered into her ear, as he led her around the fountain.

"Yes," she looked up at him, wondering how long this feeling was going to last.

"I was thinking…"

"What?"

He created a long pause for a dramatic effect, "Let's take a trip."

"Where to?"

"I was thinking the countryside." He looked down at her, wondering what her reaction will be.

She leaned in closer to him, "Sounds good to me."


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

Emerald rows rushed passed them as Heero drove on the endless road. Occasionally, a random car from the opposite side of the road would zip by them.

"Where is this place at?" She broke the silence between them and the hum of the engine.

"We'll be there in another two hours." He continued to watch the road ahead of them.

Relena continued to gaze out her passenger side window. The sea of green was interrupted with farm houses here and there. At one farm house in particular, a Saint Bernard was lying out on the porch, barking at anything that came its way. And when they passed by the home, the massive dog lunged from the porch and chased a squirrel in the front yard.

The blacktop surface soon gave way to a gravel road as it cut towards a small town. Her eyes caught a sign…"Welcome to BlueGrass." She looked at her driver and wondered how on earth he found this place.

"I hear their town fair is one of the best."

"Ah."

He continued to drive through the small town until he saw the small inn. It was simple and quaint with white siding. The shutters were painted with hue just like a robin's eggs. The three level building stood on the outskirts of town and in the background it was framed with the rolling hills of other nearby farms.

The pair entered the small entrance and was greeted by the elderly female innkeeper. "Welcome to the BlueStem. How can I be of service?"

"Are there any rooms available still?" Heero placed the two suitcases down on the ground, and watched the old lady flip through her leatherbound book. Its pages worn throughout the years, but was still filled with history.

"Ah here we go. It's a deluxe suite on the second floor." She looked up at the young couple, "The both of you look lovely. On your honeymoon?" Her country accent stuck on the last few syllables.

"No, we're just visiting." Heero took Relena's hand and squeezed it lightly. "We'll take the room."

"Alright then." She turned herself around and took the brass keys off the wall. "You two have a lovely stay here. I'll just need a signature for the room."

Heero took the fountain pen and wrote their names down on the ancient paper.

"You two sure make a fine couple," she beamed. "Your room will be on your left, and I hope you enjoy your stay." She watched the two climb up the stairs, "And by the way, you're just in time for our centennial festival."

The two finally made it to their room, and the view was exceptional. The large window overlooked a small creek bed that snaked its way through the farms. In the distance, small hills jutted out from the sea of green. "You truly out done yourself, Yuy."

"I'm glad I can share it with you." He wrapped his arms around her waist.

…

The two walked hand in hand down the main street, passing by shops that were forgotten with time. An ice cream parlor with a working fountain machine piqued her interest and Heero knew she had a soft spot for sweet treats.

Fans swirled above the patrons' heads as the pair entered. It was like taking a step back in time. There were several open seats at the marble counter. "What can I get you kids?"

"Two sundaes," Relena ordered after staring at the massive menu.

"Coming right up."

Relena smoothed her white sundress out, as Heero looked at her. "What?"

"Nothing," he shook his head.

"You were about to say something."

The server placed their treats down and tended to the register with their cash. "You know how I don't like sweets."

"I know, but you have to try at least once."

Heero took the spoon and dipped it into the whipped cream and part of the creamy vanilla ice cream. He nodded his head from side to side. "It's not bad."

"See," she smiled.

"Hn." He occasionally sneaked a few glances as he watched her devour her sweet treat. "Here you can have a part of mine too."

"If you insist."

…

After their mini meal, the two headed out again and the town slowly came to life. Crowds were out in droves as they weaved through the open stalls. Vendors sold a variety of foods from pulled pork sandwiches, barbeque ribs, smoked bacon, and to fried chicken. A meat lover's fantasy.

Relena watched Heero devour half a slab of ribs, "You're going to have a heart attack," she muttered.

"Relax, you only live once." He took another rib and ate it, "Might as well enjoy it."

"True," she took a rib from his plate and nibbled on it.

The two trudged through the crowds and found the heart of the festival. A row of carnival games were splayed out.

"Come on," he pulled at her hand and found an open stall.

"Well what do we have here?" The vendor spoke in a thicker country accent. "Looks like this little lady wants to try her luck."

"Heero," she muttered. "What are you doing?"

"I want to see you try this."

"Shoot an arrow at the target and win a prize. It's that simple." The man beamed, while holding on the his suspenders' straps.

"More like a con," she thought to herself. "Probably magnetized."

"I'll help you." Heero paid the three dollar fee and grabbed the bow and arrow.

"Why don't you do this?" She shook her head.

"Nonsense." He walked next to her. "I think that bear of yours needs a new pal."

"Funny."

Within seconds, she felt his hands come at her waist and she was facing the row of targets ranging from cows, chickens, and ducks.

"Hold your arm out like this," he whispered.

Relena felt her breath hitch and she knew what he was up to. "You're making it hard for me to do this."

"Focus on the target and start creating tension on the bow." His touches were light and created a trail of fire on her skin.

"I think I'm going to aim at that scrawny duck." She felt his body nudge closer and if she could see his face, she would've saw a grin growing at the corner of his mouth.

The arrow sliced through the hot summer air and hit the duck by its tail feathers.

"Well little lady, looks like you won yourself a prize," the man winked and brought over a chocolate colored teddy bear with a blue ribbon wrapped around its neck. "And if I were you buddy, I would watch out."

"Hn."

"You're so evil, Yuy." She smacked his arm, and before she could rant even more, she felt him lift her off the ground with his tight hug and their lips met under the starry skies.

He held there for ages it felt like. Never did he waiver in his grasp. Slowly, he brought her back down to the ground, as he felt his hands run along the sides of her body. Teasing her ever so slightly.

And at that moment, everything was falling into place. She kissed him again under a shower of fireworks.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Rating for this chapter will go up. You all have been warned. Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated.

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen<strong>

"My my…you two lovebirds looked like you got too much sun." The elderly innkeeper looked up from a copy of the town's newspaper. "Goodnight."

The two echoed the same sentiments back to her, as they clamored up the stairs to their room.

"Are you sure about this?" he huskily whispered into her ear.

She felt her heart skip a beat, but it was now or never. She pulled at his hands and placed them over her breasts, and felt his hands work their magic over the thin fabric. She whimpered under his touch and felt his strong arms lift her towards the bed. The old, metal frame creaked underneath their weight as they shifted. She snuck in her hands and ran them underneath his shirt. Her hands traveled onto foreign territory as they snaked their way from his abdomen up towards his chest. She tugged at his shirt and pulled it over his head.

Slowly, he undid the knot of the white ribbon on the back of her dress, and teased her bare arms in the process. She felt her hair stand on edge at his feather-light brushes. Soon enough, he worked his way on her zipper and the white silk fabric slowly slid down her body, revealing her smooth skin and matching lingerie.

The rest of their clothing was haphazardly strewn about the room. Her mind raced whether this was right at all. Can this really be happening? Can you make love to an imaginary friend? That was the million dollar question, but who knew what the answer was.

Her thoughts came back as she felt Heero tease her nipples, and slowly he took one breast at a time, stroking them in a circular motion. She mewed under his ministrations, and felt his hands wander further down to her belly. With each motion, she felt her body come to life.

She leaned closer to him and his hands wound their way to her back. His eyes found the four surgical scars peppering her left side. He thumbed over the areas and kissed them one by one. He paid close attention to the one under her breast, and began to suck underneath the swell. At that moment, she let out a small gasp as his breath danced across her skin.

She stroked through his hair and drew circles on his back, as she felt his simple caresses alternate between slow and fast. She felt like he was afraid to hurt her, and she leaned in to kiss him on his chest. His muscular arms wrapped around her and pulled her tiny form closer to his.

She felt his weight on top of her, and kissed him a couple of more times. In the dimly lit room, she can feel his Prussian eyes drinking every line and contour.

"What are you thinking about?"

"This is way better than the dream," she laughed. "And it seems like you have been practicing." She teased his collarbone with her fingertip, as she followed an imaginary line.

"Hn."

She tasted his mouth and felt another surge coming deep within. Their heated skin met in unison until she felt his weight on her again with deep pants coming from him.

"I love you, Heero," she whispered and stroked a lock of his chocolate hair.

"So do I." He kissed the top of her forehead, tasting the sweat from their endeavor.

…

The sun hung low over the eastern horizon, and Heero gazed out their large window from their bed. The small town slept under the quiet dawn. He felt Relena stir a little under the covers and saw the fabric slip from her chest, giving him an advantageous viewpoint. Her hair caught the growing rays and for a moment, everything in the world felt right. He felt his breath get caught in his throat and his heartbeat quicken. Their night together was magically and no one could take that away from them.

He watched her sleeping form a little more. The way her chest moved up and down with every breath she took to the way she held her arm over her head.

The sun climbed higher and soon enough, several roosters cackled in unison and greeted the new morning.

Relena stirred a little more and turned towards Heero.

"Is it morning already," she muttered.

"Yes," he kissed her on the top of her head.

She opened her blue eyes slowly, not really wanting to wake up from their peaceful semblance.

"And morning to you, sleeping beauty."

"Morning," she admired his chiseled chest. "What's on the agenda for today?"

"Well we can grab breakfast and head down to the farmer's market." He felt her fingertips graze his skin.

"And?"

"And what?" he looked perplexed.

In seconds, she grabbed his wrist and placed them above his head. She laid herself on top of and gently nipped his skin. "I was thinking something more like this."

She continued her teases, as he licked at her nipples. She whimpered at his touch.

With her hold loosening on his arms, he quickly flipped her on her back. "We can skip breakfast."

….

The two walked hand in hand as they looked at the various stalls ranging from sweet corn to fresh jarred honey. Other stalls displayed pottery goods and small keepsakes.

"This is truly amazing," she hugged his arm.

"I'm glad you like it."

They made their way through the rest of the market and took in the sights and sounds.

"You have to try this," Heero spotted a unique stand and disappeared into the crowd. After two minutes of waiting for him underneath the shade of a maple tree, he came back with napkin covered treats.

"What is this?" She pointed to the fried dough.

"Just try it."

She took the napkin and carefully handled the hot morsel. The grease soaked through the brown paper and she blew on the treat to cool it down. With one bite, she took a piece of the circular dough and inside, she found an Oreo. "It's not bad."

"Told you," as he ate his second deep fried Oreo.

…

The hot summer air blew through her tresses as they explored the mini town. They had decided to take a trail down by the creek bed that eventually drained to a large pond by an abandoned farm, which was part of the haunted tour that BlueGrass provided. Their footsteps against the gravel path were the only sounds made between them as they admired the scenery. Here and there, chipmunks darted across their path and ducked back into the lush prairie brush.

They came across a giant oak. Its bark worn with time, but at a closer look, a tear bore through close to the core, and with time, it slowly healed leaving a deep pit.

"Looks like something struck it once," he ran his hand through the crevice.

They continued to walk until they stumbled upon the abandoned farm. An old lady sat in a rocking chair. "Welcome to the Curtis Farm." She fanned herself with sheets of paper. "Would you like to hear a story?"

The two nodded.

"Sarah Curtis was a mere sixteen year old in the summer of 1896. She had worked hard on the family farm and toiled in the fields from sunup to hours past sunset. One day, she took a break beneath the giant oak tree down by the road, seeking its cool shade from the summer heat. Not knowing it was already occupied. His name was John Murphy, two years her senior. It was a kind of love that blossomed with time and in secret. Sarah had an older brother that watched over her. When he noticed his sister acting strangely around the farm, he decided to spy on her and found John holding her hand on one summer afternoon. The news of their relationship fractured the families, seeing that John was destined to go to college and for a better life. "

The old lady paused in her story and watched the anxious couple momentarily, while grabbing her lemonade off the small table. "The young lovers devised a new plan. For two years, they each lit a candle in their bedrooms signaling for their meetings. The plan had worked well until the watchful brother caught on to the grand scheme of things. On one stormy night, he lit the candle in Sarah's room and watched over at the Murphy farm for the single flame to go up. Through the harsh rain drops, the light was visible. He watched John leave his family farm and rode across the gravel road on his horse. To Sarah's horror, she blew the flame out but it was too late. She saw her true love ride in the night towards their secret hideout."

Relena clutched at Heero's hand as she listened to the old lady. By now, night had descended and the creatures of the night stirred to life. Her senses heightened.

"She donned on her cape and ran out to stop him from coming, but her voice was drowned out by the wind and rain. Above her, the storm intensified with streaks of lightning and thunderous booms. It was useless. He was still riding towards her. Her heart pounded against her chest as she ran as fast as she could. And then it happened. A brilliant flash appeared just as John was passing the oak. It blinded her and knocked her to the ground. The rain pounded hard against the gravel as she got back up on her feet. The loud boom deafened her senses as she ran over to her fallen lover. There was nothing there. Not even the horse or his body. She scoured the area and there was nothing. She bent over to a set of tracks, and in an instant, a heavy limb fell on her."

The couple now held each other closer than before, as they waited for the anticipation of her story.

"The nearby families heard the commotion and ran out in the rain to see the event. Sarah's brother stood there empty with despair for he caused the demise of two young lovers. The men removed the heavy limb from the small body, but it was too late. She was lifeless and cold. No one ever found John's body that night or ever. And to this day, some say Sarah still wanders by the tree hoping to see John. Others say, they see candles lit over at the Murphy's farm and here." The old lady took another sip of her lemonade. "The end."

"How tragic," Relena sighed and wiped away a tear from her eye. "Thank you."

"Thank you for listening," she nodded. "Excuse me, I must be going now," and slowly she rose up from the rocking chair and shuffled back inside the small home.

Heero ran his hand over Relena's, as the two walked back into the town.

"Do you think they'll ever find each other?" She stared down the road.

"I hope so."

And in the distance, the Murphy farm stood empty as fireflies danced about among the broken planks. A single light shined through a shattered window up on the second floor. The pair looked back to the old lady's home and noticed a single flame dancing by the window.

Minutes before, the front porch had lights on, but now it looked abandoned with weeds growing in between the wooden planks. Even the old lady's rocking chair and table were gone.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Hello everyone. Sorry about the long hiatus, but thank you for waiting. Thanks again to my reviewers, you know who are.

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><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen<strong>

The small farm town disappeared in her passenger side mirror, as they made their way back to the big city. Relena stretched in her seat as she watched the emerald green fields zip past by. The open road stretched for miles with sporadic cars and trucks.

"I'm glad we went out this weekend."

"Same here."

She reached over to him and teased his arm. "I still can't believe you're here."

"Hn."

"Is there anything else I should know about you?"

"No." His eyes remained on the road.

She looked at him questioningly, "I mean do you ever get sick?"

"No."

"Do you have any past lives?"

"Not that I can recall."

Seeing that her questions lead to dead ends, she changed the subject. "How many kids have you looked over so far?"

"2,856."

"Interesting."

"Done with the questions?" He took a quick glance over her.

"Yeah I think so," she smiled back at him. "I swear, mum's the word."

…

There was something about Relena that always made his heart skip a beat. The way she looked at him to the way she walked. Truly he was a lucky imaginary friend to have her. With all her questions, it got him to think. This was the first time he was in love. Out of all of his assignments, she managed to wrap herself around his finger.

Flashes of lightning brought him out of his thoughts, and Relena woke up from her nap after hearing the loud booms rattling through.

"Do you think we should stop somewhere?" The threatening clouds coalesced in the distance and grew ominously. The white tops flattened at their peaks. The azure sky was quickly being devoured by ominous grey.

"Where would you like to?" He pointed out the open road. "I'm gunning it." The engine revved up in horsepower.

Relena whipped out her cell phone, but there wasn't a strong signal to pick up anything. Her internet was dead. As much as she liked rain and thunderstorms, this was one she didn't want to mess with.

"It's going to be fine."

"Hmph, I hope so." She threw the useless gadget back into her purse.

The rain began to pelt the windshield and the liquid clung to the sides of the windows, being dragged by the wind. Lightning flashes picked up in frequency, as they headed towards the heart of the storm.

"Another two hours and we'll be home."

…

Philip Olson rarely missed his Sunday meetings with his former college buddies. Each week it would be a different pub crawl. His buddies this time managed to rent out a trolley for three hours and it took them to any open bar in a 25 mile radius.

Out of the group of five, he was the one most responsible but today was different. It was his bachelor party and after downing several cokes with rum, he was down for the count. The trolley dropped them off at their designated spot and strolled away.

Philip stumbled here and there, but walked back to his apartment and tried to sober up in front of a cold shower and a pot of coffee. He had to work the third shift this week at a local packaging plant, but his job was easy as a security guard. Feeling the caffeine flowing through his veins, he grabbed his truck's keys and went out in the early damp morning.

The drive out of the city wasn't bad since there wasn't any traffic except for the steady rain. He leaned towards his glove compartment and for a split second, he saw stray dog cross his path. He swerved to avoid the damp critter and ended up in the lane of incoming traffic.

His brakes came to a screeching halt and thanked his lucky stars to be alive.

"Stupid dog," he muttered on his breath. The near accident was strong enough to wake him up from his drunken stupor.

His stick shift mutinied against his tries to reverse the car. "Just perfect," he banged his hands in frustration against the ancient steering wheel.

A semi truck with its horns blowing saw his black truck and applies its brakes. Yellow sparks marred underneath at full force.

Heero drove at a constant speed being mindful that the rain was finally coming to an end. A warning sign for a blind hill was coming up and he slowed down. As his car was rising up the hill, never would he thought a semi was flying towards them on its side.

"Hold on," he screamed.

"Heero!"

…

Sounds of saws and constant buzzing jarred her back to reality. Everything was a blur as she felt rough hands bring her out of the twisted metal. Unfamiliar voices shouted over her as her eyes caught one of their flashlights. She screamed for Heero only to fall back into her restless dreams.

The wooden beams defied against her weight, as she took a few steps in the dimly lit hallway. Her fingers traced the barren walls. She knew where she was. It was her childhood home. The smell of dried roses and vanilla clung to her. The hallway finally led her into the main living room, but again, she was met with the same feeling. Everything was gone.

"Hello?" Her voice echoed throughout the vast space. "Anyone here?"

She went over to the window, and outside, a steady rain began to fall against the cold shudders. A chill crept over her spine. She looked over to the fireplace, but there was no wood to start a fire. On the mantle, a rusty picture frame caught her attention and it was a picture of Milliardo standing in front of the house in his kindergarten uniform. His two front teeth were missing, but it was a rare time that he smiled.

It was a rare time in her family that she could remember that everyone was happy for a moment. If someone had warned her about what would happen, she would've called them liars. Maybe it was the reason why she hated the rain so much. There was just too much pain.

A flashback got a hold of her. Her whole family was returning from a camping trip from Steven's Point. It was a perfect ending for the summer before she would start school again. Milliardo would've started seventh grade. The two started a game, and somehow it an escalated into an argument for no apparent reasons. And it just happened in a blink of the eye.

The tires screeched on the damp jet black road, as the metal scraped against the guardrails, sending yellow sparks out in the air. She remembered voices calling out for them, as they were still strapped in the backseat.

"What's happening?" Her small voice traveled over to him. "I'm scared."

"It will be alright." He reached over and unbuckled her from her car seat. She landed head first onto the ceiling, as she reoriented herself. "Get out now," he growled. He could smell the gasoline fumes rising.

"But Milliardo," she sniffed, trying to hold back tears.

"I said now."

She crawled on her hands and knees, as she saw men in black suits yank her out. "My brother!" She screamed and kicked, as she was carried away.

She was placed in both of her parents' arms, as she watched the others try to rescue him. Before they could get back to the wreck, an orange light engulfed the wreckage. Her parents quickly sheltered her as she kicked and screamed for him.

That school year was rough for her. She had lost her best friend, and she closed herself off to the world. Every time, it would rain or there was a thunderstorm, it would trigger her nightmare.

But then something happened, she met Heero one afternoon on her way to school. At first, she ignored him, but then noticed that none of the other adults could see him. He had come to help her, and little by little, he managed to bring her back. Her parents saw a change in their only child, and eventually some normalcy came back to the Peacecraft family, even though hardly anyone mentioned Milliardo's name.

Her eyes stared on the colored photo. She knew she wasn't related to him by blood, but he saved her life that summer night. Her eyes clung to the photo until one of the windows cracked against the onslaught of hail and wind. Her hands lost the grip on the picture frame, and in slow motion, she watched the glass shatter on concrete mantle.

She felt her heartbeat rise as she started to remember the accident, "Heero!" The harsh winds swallowed her voice in the maelstrom and it was useless. There was still no response.

_You need to wake up, Relena. Wake up!_

The furious winds raced throughout her empty home as tried to find a way to end her nightmare. Lightning flashed throughout as she made her way about.

"Relena," the voice was barely audible, but she knew it was from Heero.

"Where are you?" She screamed against the wind and waited. "Heero…"

"Over here," the voice called out from the patio door.

She raced throughout the rooms, as the winds whipped around her. She could feel the rain sting on her skin as she pressed further. In the early darkness, she saw the faint outline of the patio doors that were thrashing about in the storm.

Her hands grabbed the frame as the storm increased its intensity. "Where are you, Heero?" Her voice was becoming raw, as she continued to defy the winds and rain.

Out of nowhere, she felt a pair of hands grab her own and she was thrown into the backyard, as a new wave of lightning unleashed its fury.

…

"Do you have a rhythm yet?" The driver shouted out to the back.

The monitor didn't lie to her. The green line was slow and steady. It truly was something to behold for being absent. "Yes, it's weak." The female paramedic removed the syringe cap from her mouth.

She heard her partner radio in their information, "ETA eight minutes."


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Thank you for reading or reviewing. I'm tickled pink at looking at the stats, which makes it all the worthwhile. I believe there is one more chapter left. Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter Fifteen<strong>

Her fingers traced the cold concrete as she stared in disbelief. The numbers and letters engraved in the stone didn't lie. How can this be true? Nothing in her mind made any sense, as she went over the events. It was an endless nightmare that she couldn't win at the moment. She shivered at the near thought of hearing the glass cracking upon impact, and even the horrid sound of the tires rebelling against the slick pavement.

The memories were laid out as fresh scars, and she collapsed under the weight of them all. Her hand gently held the gray stone, as her tears flowed. The salty droplets ran down the surface and marred the letters before finally dropping onto a fresh bouquet of lilies.

How did she defy the odds? It was anyone's guess. Her blue eyes focused in on the headstone, they shifted from denial to anger, and to disbelief. "Why?" she whispered. Her fist connected with the cold, abrasive surface, but she didn't feel anything. Her eyes caught a glimpse of a slow cut forming over her knuckle, and she focused on the red trail.

Time was cruel to her, and the past few weeks everything was a blur. She remembered voices drifting into her room, and she did remember her parents stopping by at times. And once she regained clarity, there was another unexpected turn of events.

She glared at the stranger a couple of times, hoping it was medication induced, but there was no denying the fact that he continued to stand there in her room. The more she thought about it, the more her head ached. She was tired of fighting. "Please tell me that you are a figment of my imagination."

"No," his voice remained calm and distant.

…

His steel grey eyes watched her from the shelter of a Japanese Birch. He knew she needed time to comprehend what was happening. Everything was defying logic.

His thoughts ran back to the night of their perfect summer, and how it instantly changed in a blink of an eye. He remembered looking over towards her, the car had flipped upside down. Her blond hair was splayed about, as she squirmed to get free from her seatbelt. He reached out to push the red button and she landed with a thud.

"Get out now," he barked at her, "Everything is going to be okay."

"But Milliardo!" she screamed.

"Get out," and that's when he saw her get yanked out of the car, as the overpowering smell of gasoline arose. Then everything went black for a second, and then something strange happened. He found himself in a hall of pictures, staring at the classical paintings of old. The deep vibrant colors resonated within him as he became lost in them. He caught his own reflection on one of the glass murals. He was older.

As he turned around the corner, that's when it hit him. A pair of eyes caught his, and in that moment, he started to remember something about a small blonde girl crying.

"Are you lost mister?"

"Are you talking to me?" The silver haired man pointed to himself.

"Of course, silly." The little girl waved in front of him. "You're not from here."

He cleared his throat, looking annoyed, "Hn."

"Lucrezia, where are you dear?" A soft voice echoed from another room.

"Over here," she shouted, ignoring everyone else.

"What did I tell you about wandering around here?" She looked down at her only daughter, "You do know that we are in a gallery."

"Yes, Momma," she looked away from her, knowing she had broken her rule.

"Behave now."

"Okay," she sighed and stayed close to her mother. She looked over at the stranger, "What's your name?" she whispered to him.

"Um…I don't have a clue."

She bit the bottom of her lip, "How about Zechs?"

"That works."

"Come with me, I need to show you something," as she grabbed his hand. All few heads turned in the gallery, as they wondered what the little girl was up to.

Her tiny hand was lost in his very own, as she continued to pull him through various corners. Occasionally, he watched her peer over her shoulders and look to see where her mother was.

The pair stopped in front of a replica of Van Gogh's sunflowers. The shades of yellows triggered his memories…"Relena," he whispered.

She noticed a change in his eyes, "Is something wrong?"

"I think I need to be somewhere, but I don't know where," his grey eyes were blank.

"You'll figure it out," she smiled up at him.

From that point on, it was the start of their relationship. And when her eighth birthday came around the corner, he left her without saying goodbye, but he did manage to sneak in a small gift that was hidden in her room. He concealed the tiny black box well enough that she might not even find the tiny treasure.

Overall, Zechs wandered through the city as a drifter, never really belonging anywhere. He gravitated himself to the art museum at random times, and he sat in front of the sunflowers. He kept ruminating on the name Relena, and somehow it slowly clicked in his mind that he had belong to family before.

A female voice called out from the distance, "I can't believe it that you're here," her eyes were shocked. "Zechs."

"Lu…" His grey eyes wandered to a diamond that caught a light beam.

…

"Will she be alright?" A voice came from behind, as she carried two cups of coffee.

"I think so," he reached out to the small cup and took a sip to warm his body. His grey eyes watched the steam escape from the small lid and watched the wavy pattern disperse in the chilly morning.

"What were you thinking earlier?"

"Oh about us, and how nothing makes sense to this point."

The woman stood next to him now, and let out a small chuckle. "That's to say the least." She adjusted her black jacket, trying to keep the chill from settling into her bones. "Did you tell her everything?"

"Yes…to a certain extent," his eyes narrowed.

"Zechs," the monosyllable strained from her lips.

The silver haired man turned around to that statement, "Noin, what are you getting at?" He only used that name when he was getting annoyed. The last time he used that nickname was when the two were playing a game of chess. She managed to somehow checkmate his king twice in the game.

"You didn't tell her about Heero," she shifted on her heels, waiting for her longtime fiancé to react.

"It's already complicated as it is."

She turned from his side, "You're going to tell her one way or other." She bit down on her bottom lip, and drew some crimson, "Heero probably already broke the ice of how things are done."

"Hn," he crossed his arms and pondered for a moment. Deep down, he knew Noin was right, and there was no denying the fact. If there were certain traits that carried over from his past life, stubbornness would be included in that list. "You win." He looked over to her, and saw a small grin creeping up on the corners of her lips.

He walked over to where she knelt by the headstone, her body wrapped around the corner. He could see it on her face that she was fighting with his first set of information. The ramifications seemed endless, but he knew he couldn't reveal himself to other former family members. He was better off being a ghost. "Relena, we need to talk still." Her blue eyes met with his grey eyes. He could see the blue had faded to a dull shade of cerulean. How much could she take? "It's about Heero."


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Here is the final chapter! Thank you to IThoughtMY JokesWereBad for being the most faithful reviewer. Also, thank you to dootadoot, Cyn Finnegan, salimaran08, crystal-gundam, and picimadar for their reviews. But thank you, to all of the readers out there, and to those who have put this story on story alerts and their favorite lists. I love to hear any comments/critiques.

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><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen<strong>

The barren refrigerator shelf said it all. All was left was a stick of butter. He was out of groceries, and the musician muttered a few curses under his breath. His bowl of frosted flakes sat on the table, tempting him. "Just terrific." Not only he was out of coffee, now he was out of milk. This morning didn't start out right. His stare moved towards the used couch, and someone recently had slept there, but the culprit was nowhere in sight. "First the food, and now he doesn't make his own bed!"

He looked over towards the clock, and he knew he was running late. "Ugh." He felt like an idiot at this point, but he was going to give it a try anyhow. He grabbed his keys from the table and walked towards the door, still wearing his black t-shirt and boxer shorts. He needed to get breakfast, which was his current mission.

His hand knocked on the door twice, and he was hoping that someone was home. Earlier in the week, he heard commotion coming from across the hall, and figured someone was moving in finally.

A small yelp came across the wooden barrier, and the sound of clicks was heard. "Stay away, Zeus."

Duo sheepishly stood there in his pajamas, as he waited.

"Can I help you?" A pair of cornflower eyes peered across the small gap.

"Could I borrow some coffee and milk?" He quickly ran his hand over his hair. This was extremely awkward for him. "I live right across from you and my roommate didn't restock supplies." He let out a small grin, hoping to charm her.

"Just give me a second," the door closed in front of his face, as he heard the light claws scratching against the door, along with a low growl.

"Zeus, down boy," she whistled at him, and the dog scampered to some other part of the small apartment. "Sorry about that, my Pomeranian is a little protective of me at the moment."

"That fuzz ball," he laughed a little. He reached out to grab the cups from her, "much appreciated."

"Don't worry, it happens," she smiled back at him. Their fingers gently brushed against each other. "See you around, I guess."

"Ditto." Before he could say anything else, the door was shut in his face again. He shuffled back to his apartment and placed the cups on the countertop. He had to remind himself to return the items back to his new neighbor. He doused his frosted flakes with the milk, and tossed the cup of coffee beans into his coffee maker. A piece of blue paper caught his eye among the rich dark stash. He unraveled the sheet, and saw that she had written her name and number. A small smile escaped from him, and maybe his luck was changing after all. He made a mental note to keep this charade up a few more times, and somehow persuade that meddling dog of hers.

…

Relena looked down at her cup of coffee, as she watched the cream swirl about in the maroon liquid. She could feel her brother's eyes on her, as she steadied herself for more of their interesting conversation. Over the past hour, she listened intently as how he came to be.

"Your secret is safe with me," she took a sip from the piping hot liquid. "Even if I did tell mom and dad, they would probably send me to the mental unit by now." She laughed a little, wondering how they felt about her imaginary friend back in day especially seeing her mother being mortified as she acted out in public. It was normal for kids to have pretend play and imaginary friends, it's one of their milestones growing up.

"I figured it would be," he crossed his arms. His steel eyes looked around the room, as they drank in the environment. He truly missed home, but he knew he couldn't stay long. "And onward to business." Relena inwardly took a deep breath in, hoping that it was some form of good news. "I don't know where to start," he let out.

"Start anywhere."

He shifted in his seat, and for a brief moment, he tried to find the right words, but there were none. "He's alive."

She could feel a wave of relief going through her. How many times did he really save her? She lost count by now, but he managed to always to help her through, no matter what she was doing. He was her best friend all through this time. "Where is he?"

"That's the problem." He took a sip of his cup, "we're not sure."

"What do you mean "we're not sure" part?" her blue eyes narrowed.

"There are several of us looking for him at this point. He somehow managed to leave against medical advice, and checked himself out of the hospital."

"That sounds like Heero alright," she let out a small laugh, but soon enough, worried settled in on her delicate features.

"He'll turn up eventually."

"True," she wrapped her hands around the warm cup, but she pondered on his last statement. Would it be days, months, or years again before she saw him again? In truth, she was getting used to him disappearing, but how much could she really take it.

"Well, I think our time is up," he looked at his watch. "We have a train to catch." He looked over at Noin, who was sitting at another booth. She didn't want to intrude on their conversation.

"Do you really have to leave so soon?" Her cerulean eyes pleaded against his very own eyes. "I think we still have lots of things to go over."

He smiled back at her, "Hn," and got up from his chair. "Some things are better left unsaid." He paused briefly, "I will see you around."

"Alright," she smiled back. "I'll hold you against it." Her eyes followed the pair as they left the coffee shop, and soon enough, they disappeared in the crowd.

And now, she was left alone again. She sat in her seat for a few more minutes, wondering what she was going to do today. She pondered the endless possibilities, but her thoughts ran back to Heero. It was plain and simple.

They always said one never forgets their first love, no matter what. She sighed and with resolve, she slipped out the door. She walked with the crowd, as she saw aimless faces pass by her. Whenever she saw someone walk with jeans and black jacket, images of Heero would surface. _Get a grip of yourself, Lena. _

She continued to walk on the sidewalk. _You don't even know where he is._ She conjured up the old memories of them growing up, from his afternoons, where he waited patiently for her from school to their ice cream conversations. And eventually her memories of waking up next to him, locked in his arms.

She remembered stealing a glance at him while he was sleeping. The morning light etched shadows on his worn out face, and eventually she felt its warmth on her backside, as she watched the shadows engulf his chest. She watched his slow rhythmic breathing as his chest rose up and down, against her cheek. One of his arms was snaked around her waist, and it protested when she tried shifting. Even in his sleep, he was protective of her. And that's when the idea came to her; she had to go back there.

…

His hands wound itself around the bark, as he vaguely remembered a blurred image of someone. He was supposed to be with someone, but whom? Weeks prior he found himself hooked up to an IV machine, and the constant beep drove him to the brink of insanity. His head ached as he tried to reorient himself with the ground. Nurses came to his side, as he triggered the bed alarm. They warned him about returning to his bed, but he refused and left against their advice.

Automatically he went back to Duo's apartment, as if nothing had change in his previous routine. He pulled out his laptop and the blue screen of death was plastered across the screen, and he tossed the useless object in the trashcan, after removing the hard-drive.

"Hn." He shook his head and focused on the current situation. He felt he was spinning in circles still, as he held out his hands against the trunk. His eyes furrowed, as he came across the deep gash in the trunk. The bark slowly had healed over time, but the gash was still there. Images of an old lady and her rocking chair came to, and a story she told. He shook his head in confusion, as he tried to fight it. And the image of honey blond female crept in his mind.

"You should stop fighting it," a soft voice came from behind him.

He leaned against the cool bark, "Who are you?"

"It's me."

He looked at the petite blond, but didn't recognize her. "I don't know you," his voice was cold and distant.

She took a few steps forward, trying not to alarm him. "It's me, Heero. It's Relena." She bit her lower lip, wondering how she was going to get him back to his former self. The accident must've caused him to lose his memories. No wonder no one could find him. She wasn't going to lose him again. She was this close, and she knew it then deep down in her, she had to cross one more boundary. It was her turn.

His hands continued to linger on the jagged bark, as a flurry of images came across his mind. They were jumbled and none of it made sense. Random faces of children that he helped. Eventually, his mind focused on a little girl at a birthday party wearing a lilac dress and his mind drifted towards the teddy bear.

She could see that he was calming down, and she made her move, it was now or never. If she had only one moment, this was it. She made her way towards him and her lips graced over his, as she kissed him. Her hands were wrapped around his neck. "Please come back to me," she whispered into his ear. "I know you can find your way."

Floodgates of images crashed through his mind once more, as they focused on her. His Prussian eyes flickered as he was going through his memories of her. The way he had waited for her at her favorite bakery shop, and then to the fountain, where he found her laying on the ground, gasping for air.

He took a few deep breaths, as a mental cloud lifted from him. "Relena," he whispered.

"Welcome back," she smiled up at her former imaginary friend.

It was starting to come back to him. He remembered the night of the accident, as the incoming truck made its way towards them. He had unbuckled his seatbelt, and instinctively wrapped his arms around her, hoping to deflect some of the impact. Soon after, everything went dark.

"How did you know I was here?" He looked down on her.

"I really didn't," she hugged him closer. "I just knew you really hate sweet things, and that you loved being out in the open."

"Hn…true." He kissed the top of her head, and drunk in her scent of vanilla. "I'm not going anywhere."

Her cerulean eyes looked up at him, "Well then…where do we go from here?"

"I have an idea."

…

The blindfold was tight around her eyes, as she stumbled in her heels. "Where are you taking me, Heero?"

"We're almost there," as he led her by her hand.

"I consider this cruel and unusual punishment." Her right foot snagged against a crack in the sidewalk, "You do realize I'm a klutz."

"Never really noticed," he laughed. "We're going to be climbing some stairs."

"What?" Her voice strained at the near thought of it. She didn't want to end up falling and spraining her ankle. Chasing two toddlers at home would be a challenge enough with crutches or even a boot to wear. "Heero." He felt his arms around her waist, as he lifted her off the ground, "How kind of you."

"Hn."

"Are we there yet?"

"Almost," he continued to go up the stairs. He could feel his arms getting heavier. "I might need a massage later from you."

"The last few times we did that, we ended up with two little miracles."

He nodded in response, "True."

She continued to hold him around his neck, as he carried her, "Well if you let me take off this blindfold and let me walk like a normal person, you wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place."

He continued to climb as he listened to his wife rant a little. She had a hard day at work, filled with acute visits and nonsense scattered between patients. "We're here," as he made the final step. "You can take off the blindfold now."

Her hands quickly flew to the side of the knot. Her eyes adjusted and underneath the starry sky, a table was laid out with an ice cream sundae covered in whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. "I thought you hated sweets."

"I can make exceptions," he kissed her on her lips. "Happy Anniversary."

"To you, too," she continued to look at him, as her eyes traced an image of him.

"You better eat before it melts," he eyed the sugary concoction on the table.

She continued to caress him around his neck as a distraction, "I don't care, and I think I'll start with this."


End file.
